1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices which may exterminate insects, and more particularly to such devices using intensified solar radiation to eradicate ants.
2. Description of Prior Art
Most extermination means consists of poisons or pesticides which are directly applied to the bothersome insect. One alternative to this is parasitic organisms, such as fire ant mites, which attach themselves to ants and the queen, eventually destroying the entire nest. Fire ants are a particularly menacing problem in the southwestern United States, and pesticides have been found to be generally ineffective. Heretofore no device has been invented which can eradicate the entire colony using solar radiation.
Devices for intensifying solar radiation are known in the art. Most are used for greenhouses or for generating heat for industrial or household purposes. Many employ the use of a convex lens, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 612,675, issued to Rieke, which is directed to insect extermination.
The obvious disadvantage of the Rieke device is its cumbersome structure. In fact, most of the aforesaid devices are extremely large and bulky, making them unsatisfactory for the simple goal of destroying an ant mound. Moreover, the preferred device would have to completely seal off the mound. It would therefore be desirable to devise a hood for collecting solar radiation which may easily be placed on an ant mound to effectively bake the nest.